Editorial: Thank you for two wonderful years

An anniversary will take place June 11, and although no big celebration will be had, it is an important one around our office. Monday marks the second year anniversary of MorinvilleNews.com, an online daily news publication I started two summers ago when a local newspaper I was then freelancing for decided to suspend publication. Faced with the prospect of living in a community with only one local news source and voice, I decided to offer another. Starting with the slogan “Get the news while it’s still news,” MorinvilleNews.com launched digitally and daily.

I will confess we were not taken seriously right out of the gate by everyone. One competitor was fond of telling advertisers we were not a “real” news publication. Fortunately for us, readers felt otherwise, and we are still here and doing well. We have published, over the past two years, more than 1,800 articles online, and Wednesday will see the release of our 82nd consecutive weekly news magazine.

Over the past two years of delivering community news we’ve tried to be involved in community as much as possible. We’ve now organized two all-candidates forums, one municipal and one provincial. We’ve organized and promoted everything from music concerts to wrestling matches. And whether it was sitting in a council meeting getting the details on the latest functional planning study or wearing a Hawaiian shirt and wrestler’s mask in a dunk tank, we’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It’s been a great ride so far, and we are excited about continued growth and continued community involvement in our third year of operation.

But none of this would have been possible without our readers joining us for the ride or without our local businesses being willing to listen to an often-as-not crusty, middle-aged newsman telling them an online news publication was exactly what Morinville and area needed.

Nineteen months ago, MorinvilleNews.com became a part of and partnered with Art of Conversation to bring focused local news to Morinville residents who wanted to hold a print edition. That publication and concept was a weekly news magazine focused solely on Morinville called Monday Morning News.

Recently the online and print entities aligned under one common masthead – The Morinville News – because it is our belief, as it was my belief back in June of 2010, that Morinville was ready for a news publication whose focus was unapologetically focused on Morinville.

But whether read on an iPhone, Blackberry, PC, laptop or restaurant counter top, our dedication has remained the same – providing local residents with local news in a timely and responsible manner.

It has often been said it takes a village to raise a child. I’d offer that it takes a community to raise a community news publication. You have raised us well. You have kept us informed about all the things we need to cover and you have kept other readers informed that The Morinville News was Morinville’s news choice.

On behalf of Ron, Lucie, Mona, Tanya and myself, we thank you for that trust.

-Stephen Dafoe
Editor, The Morinville News

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10 Comments

  1. Great work, all. I may not always agree with what you write, but I do agree that you do a great job delivering important news to Morinville, and you give all sides of debates a voice. I look forward to seeing you active for several more years and wish you the best as you go forward.

  2. It has been a great 2 years indeed and I would to thank you for keeping us so well informed on what is happening in our community! Happy birthday and I wish you many more successful years!

  3. Congradulations on your growing success over the past two years. Honestly, the first thing I do every morning when I turn on my computer is read Morinville News online. Also the perfect way to stay in touch with what is happening in Morinville when one is away, check Morinville News on my BlackBerry. Thank you. Paul

  4. Love the publication! But could you please change the email time from 12:30 am? Every single night just as I’m drifting off my phone rings to let me know the latest edition of the morinville news is out….

  5. thank you so much for the Morinville morning news each day, think you are doing a wonderful job and wish you many more years of success!

  6. Wow has it been two years already? Seriously, you have done a GREAT job Stephen and I’m so impressed how fair you are to both sides of whatever is being discussed. Thank you for bringing us daily news and offering the method for the comments that are often so interesting. Also thank you for taking such an active part in the community. Truly you are a friend to many of us.
    Linda

  7. Morinville News is my first email of the day. It is great to know what is happening in Town.

    Keep up the great work!!!

  8. Stephen,

    Your publication provides a much needed breath of honesty and reliability that we are lucky to have in such a small town. If it wasn’t for the Morinville News, I would be no where near as well informed regarding town events as I currently feel that I am.

    Thanks and keep up the great work.

    Brent

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